Car-coupling.



Patented May 23, 190a.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES w. RoWELL, or SHERMAN, TEXAS.

GAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,593, dated May 23, 1905.

7 Application filed October 19,1904. Serial No.'229.088.

T0, all whom, it may concern:

Be itknown that I, CHARLES WESLEY Row- ELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sherman, in 'the county of Grayson and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to.

which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in car-couplers, and especially to those of the linkand-pin type in which provision is made for holding and guiding the link into the draw-head and automatically dropping the pinwhen cars come together.

More specifically, the present invention re sides in the provision of a link and gravitypin coupler in which the link is provided with guide-springs designed to rest on the lower inner portion of the coupling, thus supporting the link adjacent to the pin-hole therein.

ters of reference marked thereon form a part of this application, and in which drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the end of a car, showing the improved coupler attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section showing the parts as coupled together. Fig. 3 is a similar view of one of the draw-heads, showing the parts in position to receive the'link to effect the coupling; and Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the link. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the means for limiting the movement of the pin-supporting block.

Reference now being bad to the details of the drawings'by letter,Arepresents the drawhead, which is vertically apertured to receive the coupling-pin B. Within the draw-head is'arranged a pin-support C, consisting of a metal block provided at its upper forward portion with a laterally-projecting flange C.

This block has a limited movement within the draw-head for the purpose hereinafter made apparent. Projecting rearwardly from the block G'is a guide-rod D, that at its rear end passes loosely through a perforation formed in a head E, forming part of the draw-head, and about said guide-rod is a coiled spring F, that at one end rests against block C and at v its other end against head E.

G is a longitudinally-disposed slot passing entirely through guide-rod D. A bolt H, passing through sides of draw head and through slot in guide-rod, regulates the movement of pin-support C. The coupling-pin B passes through suitable perforations formed in the upper and lower walls of the drawhead, as usual. The spring F exerts an expansive force to throw the pin-supporting rests on the flange C of the pin-supporting block C, as shown in Fig. 3, and as the other draw -head is caused to approach the link strikes the block 0 and drives it back into the draw-head, thus forcing the flange C from beneath the pin B, when the pin will drop by gravity through the linkand into the perforation formed in the under side of the drawhead, thus completing the coupling. The bolt H forms a stop for limiting the movement of the block 0, as before stated, and also. prevents the accidental and complete withdrawal of the block from the draw-head until the bolt is removed. By this construction the necessity for making the draw-head in two halves or sections is obviated, resulting in a cheaper and much stronger device.

In order that the link may be supported in a horizontal position and be guided into the draw-head without the intervention of human aid, it is constructed as follows: Midway between its ends the link I is provided with a bridge-piece I, to which is secured the guidesprings J, consisting of a flat steel spring secured at its center to said bridge-piece I and thence downwardly and rearwardly in such manner that when one end of the link is inserted in the draw-head and the coupling-pin passed therethrough the guide-spring adjacent to the coupled end of the link will bear upon the lower forward portion of the drawhead and support the link in the proper position to enter the approaching draw-head. By making the guides J of spring metal the link will be yieldingly supported and the liability of their being broken by the shock caused by the impact of the link against the block 0 will be obviated.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a car-coupling the combination of the draw-head A made in one piece, the sliding pin-support block G provided at its upper forward edge with a laterally-projecting flange C, said block and flange moving freely within the interior walls of the draw-head and having a longitudinal movement therein, the rod D carried by said block and passing through a perforated head within the draw-head, a

longitudinal slot in said rod and a stationary bolt passing through said slot to limit the movement of the rod, a coiled spring arranged around said rod between said block and head, the coupling-pin B and the link I provided with downwardly and inwardly projecting spring-guides as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of twowitncsses.

CHARLES W. ROW ELL. Witnesses:

W. L. BROWN, Z. P. DEDERICK. 

